A new exhibition titled "Hallwalls Founding Artists From the Gerald Mead Collection" has opened at the Art Heals Gallery on the first floor of Roswell Park's main campus in Buffalo. Running from June 2 to August 28, 2025, the show features 18 works in various media by seven artists—Diane Bertolo, Charles Clough, Nancy Dwyer, Robert Longo, Larry Lundy, Cindy Sherman, and Michael Zwack—who founded Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center in 1974. The exhibition coincides with Hallwalls' 50th anniversary celebration and draws from the private collection of Gerald Mead, an award-winning artist, educator, and leading authority on Western New York art.
This exhibition matters because it highlights the enduring legacy of Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, a legendary organization that launched the careers of several artists who achieved national and international acclaim. By bringing these works into a hospital setting, the show also underscores the role of art in healing and community engagement. The display of Mead's extensive collection offers a rare opportunity to see foundational works from a pivotal moment in Buffalo's art history, connecting the city's vibrant past to its present cultural landscape.